Specially-designed clothing for dialysis, chemo patients

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Specially-designed clothing for dialysis, chemo patients

Local woman designs special outfit for treatment

Posted: 4:24 PM
Last Updated: 1 hour and 38 minutes ago

 By: Alicia Booth
NORTHFIELD, Ohio - One complaint you hear from chemotherapy and dialysis patients is how difficult it is to dress for treatment. Ports and veins are hard to access without wearing a flimsy hospital gown that tends to leave you exposed and cold.

Northfield resident Deb Stanzak heard that complaint over and over, first from her brother Ron, undergoing dialysis, and then from her husband who was battling a blood cancer.

Deb eventually lost both her husband and brother to their illnesses. She even had to deal with the death of her mother and father-in-law, all within a three-year period.

Instead of giving in to her grief, Deb decided to make good on a request from her brother before he died.

With a background in fashion retail and an ability to sew, Deb had made Ron a special outfit to wear during dialysis.

“I just bought a ready-made fleece pullover and I slit the arm and I inserted a zipper in it and I came to my brother’s room and I threw it at him and said ‘here, try this, see if it works,'” she said.

He loved it and before long, everyone in his dialysis center wanted to get their hands on one. Ron begged his sister to turn her idea into a business.

At the time, Deb had to say no. There was too much care giving to do. But the idea never left her mind.

Eventually, she decided to fulfill her brother’s wish. It would allow her to work from home and spend more time with her young son who was still mourning the death of his father.

“ RonWear Port-able Clothing ” is now up and running and attracting more attention every day.

Evan Coaker, a kidney patient who wears his RonWear to dialysis appointments, said people at the center are constantly asking him about it.

Evan said he can wear the specially-designed warmup anywhere. No one can see the five extra zippers placed in the suit to provide access to the nurses who treat him.

Having dealt with chronic illness for many years, he said it feels good to walk into and out of a dialysis treatment looking just like anyone else.

“No one has any idea it’s some kind of specialized medical clothing,” he said.

You can order the active wear for less than $100 and it will be packed and shipped within 24 hours.

For more information, go to RonWear.com or call 800-513-1458

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/health/specially-designed-clothing-for-dialysis-chemo-patients?utm_source